Recycling and Waste Disposal

There are lots of important reasons to reduce and recycle your waste:

Save Resources: Most of what we throw away is made from products that are slowly running out or cannot be replaced quickly enough because of the amount we consume. Many of the materials we throw in landfill tips have a value and can be used again. For example, gardeners use peat as a soil improver. This involves the destruction of peat bogs, which are non-renewable habitats for wild flowers and animals. The use of peat is unnecessary because gardeners can make compost from their kitchen and garden waste to use as a soil improver. In addition to saving our peat bogs, composting (recycling) green waste saves valuable landfill tip space which is running out fast in this country.

Save Energy: Making new goods out of recycled material saves energy. For example, making new aluminium cans from recycled cans uses 20 times less energy than making cans from the raw material.

Save Space: In 1997 to 1998 nearly 97per cent of our waste was sent to landfill tips, holes in the ground. These won't last forever, but the less waste we send to landfill the longer they will last.

Protect the Environment: Reducing what we use and recycling materials reduces the need to dig up or mine new raw materials, which often damages the surrounding environment.

Help Charities Many charities and community groups raise money through reusing and recycling.

Create Jobs: Employment can be provided by businesses involving renovation, repair and recycling.

How can you help?

There are a number of practical steps that you can take that will reduce the amount of waste we produce. Follow them and it could save you money, time and help others.

Even if you only manage to do two things on the list below, you will help to reduce our impact on the environment.

Do you need to throw it out?: If you're throwing out old furniture, beds or clothes, they could be put to good use by a local charity or pop it on our nearly new page. Some old furniture can be collected from your house if it can be reused.

You have the ultimate power because if you buy goods with less packaging and waste the shops will provide more and more items with less packaging. If you only buy goods that are made from recycled products it will encourage more recycling. You have the choice and power to make a difference!

Some more ideas to help

Bag It and Bin It

'Bag IT and Bin It' is a national campaign by the water industry. It is us mums that usually deal with the nasty stuff - nappies, sanitary products, even plasters... If we put them down the loo, it means filters get clogged up and after a storm it all backs up and out onto beaches, rivers and streets.... and then it's our kids, playing outside, that suffer most.

What to do?

Disposable nappies and sanitary towels should always go in the bin (make sure they are properly wrapped first). In fact, the contents of a soiled disposable nappy should be flushed...not the nappy itself folks, just the poo! (not always easy - but actually, it is illegal to dispose of human waste in the bin!)

Disposing of medicines

How many of us have large collections of half finished packets and bottles! None of these should either be thrown away in the bin nor flushed down the loo. Take all unused or unwanted medicines with you next time you run by a chemists; they will happily dispose of it for you in a safe and environmentally approved manner.

Recycling Inkjet cartridges and phones

Inkjet cartridges: Did you know your old inkjet cartridge is valuable? Just ask in your Tesco store for a freepost envelope and pop it in the post. For each and every ink jet cartridge that gets sent in, Tesco makes a £2 donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, so not only will you be helping the environment, but you are giving to a very worthwhile charity.

Mobile PhonesDon't forget about your old mobile phone too.... When getting a new phone, pick up a freepost envelope from Tesco and send in your old one for recycling. You get a choice - they will either donate £5 to charity for each phone turned in, or they will donate £2.50 and give you 250 clubcard points.

If you want you can just send it yourself in an ordinary envelope to: XS Tronix, FREEPOST, LON1759 2, PO BOX 32343, London SW17 9ZZ